by Rex Clementine

After the disappointment of the 1999 World Cup, where Sri Lanka failed to go beyond the first round, it was to Sanath Jayasuriya Sri Lanka Cricket turned to to put the team back on the track. In his own inimitable style, he turned things around for the team. In his first series, Sri Lanka beat world champions Australia in the tri-nation final and into the bargain recorded a first ever Test win over the Aussies.

Some 25 years later, with Chris Silverwood stepping down last month as Head Coach with Sri Lanka knocked out of the first round of the World Cup, it was to Sanath SLC turned again to oversee two tough series on an interim basis – India at home and England overseas. He has started off well.

After being appointed Head Coach, when Jayasuriya addressed a media briefing, he was thrown under the bus. He was asked whether he had any coaching experience before. Ravi Shastri had no prior coaching experience when he took over the Indian job but he went on to achieve the unimaginable by completing a series win in Australia. The last straw was the Aussies being beaten at The Gabba, one of their strongholds, in the series decider.

Shastri was no expert in teaching Rohit Sharma how to play the cover drive or give tips to Mohammed Siraj on how to reverse the old ball. Coaching cricket at the top level is hardly technical and mainly man management. That is what Sanath can do so well. He will be firm with the dodgers with a few choicy Sinhala words but would support those who require bit of attention and lot of affection. He will run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

At the outset, Sanath made it very clear that people who are representing the country need to show some respect for the national cap. Sadly, modern day cricketers think of themselves as models and not as role models. Studs came off and colouring of the hair stopped. Nothing can be done about the tattoos but for those who are breaking into the side at least, if Sanath remains they’ve got to get their priorities right.

We have been following the Australian system when it comes to coaching for a few years now. No doubts the Australian system has plenty of good things but some of those methods are irrelevant and unsuited for Sri Lanka. For example, the day before a game, it is optional training for the Aussies. David Warner can take a day off the day before a game, no doubt about it. But if 21-year-old Dunith Wellalage wants to take a break day prior to the game than there is a problem there.

It is so good to see that under Sanath Sri Lankan cricketers giving priority to training. The team has not been covering themselves in glory in recent years and there are so many areas you can improve on. Good on him for rectifying this key aspect.

Sanath also has been a very much hands-on coach. He has been clear with the kind of pitches and composition of the side he wants. He has been criticized for not playing on flat tracks. But by no means these have been bad wickets. These pitches have tested batters skill and temperament. Low scoring games are always thrillers.

Of course, at ICC events you get belters and the team could struggle. But given the low ebb the team is at the moment, doing well against a team like India will be a shot in the arm.

The teams are heading to RPS today with the series at stake. India are under tremendous pressure. They have not lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka since 1997.

At the start of the series, if someone had told you that Sri Lanka will be on the verge of a series win heading into the final game, many would have suggested that that person was daydreaming. Mind you this is an Indian side that included Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer. To humble such a formidable line up is sensational indeed. It is all due to hard work and meticulous planning.

That night when Sri Lanka tied the T-20 International at Pallekele and lost on Super Over, the team was crestfallen. So was Sanath. He didn’t let the emotions get the better of him. He travelled the same night to Colombo to work with the ODI players the following morning. That kind of commitment needs to be appreciated.

The players have been committed to the team. The energy they are showing on the field has not been seen before for a long time. These are all steps in the right direction.

This series will give Sri Lanka an enormous amount of self-belief. It will bring back the fans and sponsors. India have been giving us a hard time in recent years. Overcoming them will be the ultimate joy for there’s no better feeling in sports than beating the big brother.